ODU Gay Cultural Studies

04/08/2026

Our latest newsletter is out. Take a look to see what we've been up to. Want to receive it directly in your email inbox next time? Drop a line to [email protected] and ask to be added to our email list.

02/14/2026

02/14/2026

Last night, the ODU community gathered for an inspiring lecture by writer, designer, educator, artist, brand consultant, and Design Matters podcast host Debbie Millman.

The event is part of Q***r’D: Works by Contemporary LGBTQ Graphic Designers, on view through February 21, 2026, at the Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries. The exhibition and lecture together highlight the expansive possibilities of q***r design and the importance of representation across creative fields.

Co-sponsors—ODU Gay Cultural Studies, the Department of Art Visiting Artist Fund, and the Institute for the Humanities.

02/10/2026

Join us this Thursday, February 12, at 6pm for a lecture by writer, designer, educator, artist, brand consultant and host of the podcast Design Matters, Debbie Millman. Debbie has been named “one of the most creative people in business” by Fast Company.

This event is part of Q***r’D: Works by Contemporary LGBTQ Graphic Designers, which is open until February 21, 2026, at the Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries.

The lecture is free and open to everyone. ODU's Education Building is on the corner of Hampton Boulevard and 43rd Street. Plentiful and convenient pay-to-park parking can be found in the parking garages on 45th and 43rd Streets.

Thank you to co-sponsors: ODU Gay Cultural Studies, the Department of Art Visiting Artist Fund, and the Institute for the Humanities.

05/10/2025

Congratulations to the 2025 Q***r Studies graduates! We wish you well as you conclude one chapter today, and we can’t wait to hear what you do next! It has been an honor to work with you and to know you. 🧑‍🎓 🎉 👨‍🎓 🎉 👩‍🎓

05/05/2025

Here is a sneak peek at this year's Q***r Norfolk -- a comics anthology created by ODU Q***r Literature students. For this service learning project, students create original comics that explore local LGBTQ history. We have a limited number of printed copies and will be handing them out at tomorrow's launch party. Please join us! Details: May 6, 1PM - 3PM, ODU's Batten Arts and Letters Building, Room 9024. Convenient hourly parking is available just across the street in the 43rd and 45th Street parking garages.

12/18/2024

Are you not on our newsletter list? Read our latest updates at the link below, and sign up to receive our email newsletter (we promise not to spam your inbox) by following the link in the comments.

This course explores the intersections of gender, race, class and sexuality within society. Students will learn histories and nuances of topics such as intersectionality, allyship, and cultural appropriation.

10/18/2024

George M. Johnson was in town today, and Gay Cultural Studies sponsored students’ attendance from ODU Department of Women's and Gender Studies, ODU English Department, and Institute for the Humanities at Old Dominion University. Johnson is the author of the wildly popular All Boys Aren’t Blue and just released Flamboyants: The Q***r Harlem Renaissance I Wish I'd Known. What a great way to end the week!

09/07/2024

Enjoy your long weekend, Monarchs! Don't forget, the add drop deadline is Tuesday, September 3rd. If you're looking for a class to add to your schedule this fall at ODU, Scroll through for 5 reasons to take Q***r Studies!

Enroll today: (QUST 303/WGS 303)

Id 1: "5 Reasons to Take Q***r Studies" in bold white letters on a dark blue background with a colorful LGBTQ+ pride flag pattern on the right side.

Id 2. "01" on an orange background with the LGBTQ+ pride flag pattern on the left. The text below reads: "You will know and work with LGBTQ people. Understanding q***r experiences will help you better navigate work and personal relationships."

Id 3. "02" on a light blue background with an arrow pointing to the right and the LGBTQ+ pride flag pattern on the left. The text says: "History helps us understand the present. LGBTQ+ experiences today are shaped by past inequities and challenges, and history can help us develop more effective solutions to today’s problems."

Id 4. 03" on a purple background with an arrow pointing to the right and the LGBTQ+ pride flag pattern on the left. The text reads: "Anyone can take Q***r Studies, but for LGBTQ+ students it provides an opportunity to better understand yourself. Your experiences today are placed in the context of q***r experiences in the past and present, and you are more likely to see yourself reflected in the subjects you study."

Id 5. "04" on a dark blue background with an arrow pointing to the right and the LGBTQ+ pride flag pattern on the left. The text says: "Q***r Studies gives you the tools to deepen your exploration of LGBTQ+ topics. You will build critical thinking and research skills that you can apply in other courses to seek out q***r research topics in those subjects."

Id 6. "05" on a green background with the LGBTQ+ pride flag pattern on the left. The text reads: "LGBTQ concerns aren’t covered in one class period, one week, or one module. Q***r Studies centers q***r topics so that you can do a scholarly deep dive into the subject."

07/24/2024

Enroll in Q***r Studies (QUST 303/WGS 303) this fall at ODU and explore the rich history of LGBTQ+ experiences! This interdisciplinary course offers a deep dive into q***r life, examining personal, cultural, and political aspects. Discover how heteronormativity, the social construction of gender, and homophobia shape q***r experiences.

In addition to this course, we also offer a q***r studies minor. Q***r Studies examines the social, historical, and cultural construction of gender and sexuality, and the diverse experiences of LGBTQ+ people. This program will enable students to examine how these experiences are shaped by race, class, disability, and other identities.

04/24/2024

If you are near ODU on Thursday, please join us for the unveiling of Q***r Norfolk: A History in Comics. Q***r Norfolk is an anthology of comics created this semester by students in ODU's Q***r Literature class using research compiled by students in Q***r Studies last fall. This yearlong project is a service-learning initiative that explores LGBTQ histories in Southeastern Virginia and addresses the underrepresentation of q***r experiences in historical research and in comics.

Help us celebrate these students' hard work and contributions to uncovering and preserving local LGBTQ history. We will have light refreshments, and attendees will receive a print copy of Q***r Norfolk.

03/06/2024

Did you miss last week's "Remembering Norfolk's LGBTQ Past" talk featuring JD Doyle with panelists Charles Ford and Scott Wyatt? Watch (or rewatch) it now!

JD Doyle's presentation and reading from his memoir "1981 - My Gay American Road Trip: A Slice of Our Pre-AIDS Culture." JD was joined by panelists Scott Wya...